The Secret Handshake
by harperr
Summary: Four teenagers being teenagers before they go out and make something of themselves. — White, Cheren, Black, Bianca
1. nail painting

**author's note**: hi. so. i like friendship dynamics. and i'm really really tired of teen angst. like really. so this will be drabbles and vignettes and whatever. i'm keeping it simple to start. and i'll try and keep it ship free. because yeah. platonic relationships need more attention. kcool. updates will be sporadic. feedback/suggestions are much obliged.

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><p>|| the secret handshake .01<p>

(four teenagers being teenagers before they go out and make something of themselves)

.

They're all up in Bianca's room, she's painting her nails. White is observing and commenting from an upside-down position. Her head is pressed firmly against the floor while the rest of body still lies on the mattress. Black is relaxing in one of Bianca's old bean bag chairs, vaguely aware of the girl's conversation. Cheren is in a swivel chair and reading because if he wasn't reading he'd probably be complaining.

This is the way they spend their Wednesday nights, mainly because Bianca's house always has food.

"It's like they planned it, you know?" White rambles, "It's like that honestly sat down and each agreed to have a kid within a few months of their neighbor, just so we all could grow up and do everything together."

Bianca, too focused on getting her right hand perfect because she _always _messes up on the thumb, merely nods.

"What like a pregnancy pact?" Black offers while yawning from his reclined position across the room.

"I dunno. Is that the term for it? If so we are all the byproducts of a fucking pregnancy pact," she concludes, arms waving to emphasize her point. White has always enjoyed talking for the sake of talking. "I like that color by the way Bianca, what's it called?"

The blonde – who finally, at fifteen is getting over her gut reaction to 'eep' at foul language – turns the bottle around and squints at the label, "Uh, Bold Blitzle Blue. And I like to think our ages are just a super cool coincidence. Plus Black's family moved in when his mom was already pregnant so that kinda messes with your idea."

The brunette nods his head in confirmation, "Sorry to rain on your conspiracy theory." He stretches his arms upward as the sound of a book being slammed shut fills the room.

Three sets of eyes turn expectantly to their formerly silent friend.

"What the hell kind of name is that? What association do blitzles have with the color blue? None, they're an electric-type pokemon. I could see it going with yellow, but no. They chose blue for the alliteration. Why do companies think we're more inclined to buy something just because it has a certain pokemon's name on it? It makes no sense whatsoever," genuine anger can be seen in Cheren's expression, the simple mindedness of the name has obviously gotten to him.

Black offers up a chuckle at his rant, Cheren can be the most unnecessarily temperamental person he knows. Taking him seriously would mean giving up a constant source of entertainment.

White contributes an exasperated exhale; she's not as amused "Arceus, calm down will you? It's a cool color. No one was gunna give it an award for the genius of its name."

Before the boy can give a verbal rebuttal, Bianca chimes in, "He has a point. I mean, if you wanted to include a pokemon in the name you could go with like 'Tirtouga's Tears' or something. Use a water-type," She's just finished painting and now lightly blows on each one of her fingertips. She's satisfied with her work.

"That's pretty grim. If I was a girl, I'd want my nail color to be a little happier. I'd go with 'Simipour Shimmer' or something like that," Black adds in earnestly, habitually adjusting his hat.

Cheren nods, "See? All it requires is the littlest bit of creativity. Even you could do it, White." He gives a snarky look in the other girl's direction.

A 'pssshha' can be heard escaping her lips as White clumsily pushes off from the floor to come to an upright position on the bed. Shaking her head in an attempt to get all the blood back to her body she responds, "Yeah, okay, I got a great one, how about 'Oshawott's Asshole'?"

Black keels over in laughter, while Bianca lets herself give a giggle and a barely audible "you're hopeless" comes from Cheren's side of the room.

White grins at him wildly.


	2. stargazing

**notes:** two things — i will never ever stop making pokepuns & thank you very much for reviewing.

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><p>|| the secret handshake .02<p>

(four teenagers being teenagers before they go out and make something of themselves)

.

It would be movie night if they had a movie to watch.

Unfortunately, White had been in charge of getting the entertainment and when she proudly displays her choice of 'The Human Scolipede' to the group; it's obvious they'll be doing something else with their evening.

Both Cheren and Black think it's in Bianca's best interest. Her cringing at the cover then running off to go make more popcorn only helped their cause.

White wastes no time in accusing the two them of being total pansies.

But after seeing her idea will stay shot down, the brunette reluctantly tosses the DVD back onto the coffee table. She plops herself down on the arm of the couch and asks, "So, what now?"

"I dunno, we sit around and eat the popcorn," Black offers, because he's always had a 'just go with it' attitude and also is pretty damn hungry.

"No, that's boring, where's your sense of adventure?" White responds, bright blue eyes squinting in disapproval.

Cheren snorts, "Sense of adventure? The height of excitement for us is laying around one of our living rooms."

As much as she wants to, White can't really debate that fact.

"Yeah, well, pretty soon we're all gunna get pokémon and battle everyone who crosses our paths and see every last inch of Unova," she says straightforwardly.

"I doubt it. At this rate we won't get out of Nuvema till we're like, thirty," Black scoffs. Because they're all getting older and keep getting told to give it more time, but aren't they already supposed to be out in the world getting gym badges and experiencing shit?

"Forty, if Bianca's dad has any say in it," Cheren adds, scowling. It's no secret the three of them are less than fans of her father's parenting style. The spectacled teenager picks up the book he brought over with him and flips it open. Black's always thought it was like some weird sort of anger management for him, gazing at the ink-blot words and turning the yellow-white pages.

"Nah, we're going to get out of here and do something with our lives. Cuz' we're small-town kids and that's what small-town kids do," White announces definitively while fiddling with a lock of her hair. They have this conversation at least twice a week and it usually ends with an overly optimistic comment like hers.

Bianca's voice suddenly calls out from the kitchen, all sunshine and gum bubbles and porcelain dish candies. It obvious she hasn't heard their conversation, "Hey guys, will three bags be enough? Because I can make more if you want."

"Nah, I think we'll be good. I mean we're not even watching that atrocity of a movie anymore," Black says sending a glance the other girl's way.

"I'm sorry if you and your pusillanimous ass can't handle a good scare," White retorts, slightly sticking out her teasing, pink tongue.

Bianca then appears in the doorway, precariously balancing three bowls on her forearms. Black, who's the closest to her jumps up to grab one. He proceeds to take a handful of popcorn and devour it in one mouthful.

"Thanks," she smiles, setting the other two down. She's pretty relieved they aren't watching what White brought over. Not that Bianca would intentionally rain on her friend's parade, but bodily fluids of any kind make her queasy and she has a track record of nightmares where horror movies are concerned.

White pops a few kernels in her mouth and gives a thumbs up Bianca's way. "So, whatcha reading, Cheren?"

He turns slightly to the left so she can see the title, eyes never straying from his place on the page.

"'The Night Sky'? Sounds fucking riveting."

Cheren gives her an agitated look; he blames puberty for transforming White into a rude, sarcastic nag. "It's an astronomy guide."

"Ooh, like constellations and stars and stuff?" Bianca sounds genuinely intrigued. She goes to look over his shoulders at the few diagrams and illustrations.

He nods, "Yeah, it's actually quite thorough."

"Well, why don't we do that tonight? Ya'know, stargaze," Bianca offers, grinning and looking expectant.

The group ponders for a moment. Cheren seems skeptical, but just before he can object White bursts out, "I like it! We can contemplate our existence and be philosophical and pretend like we actually know what we're looking at. Bianca, come with me to go get beach towels. We have to create the ultimate starwatching site."

The blonde smiles broadly and rushes down the hall while White bounds out of her seat to catch up. The sounds of a closet opening, a few things falling, giggles, and a string of muffled profanities soon follow.

"You want to go help out, Cheren?" Black asks, still stuffing his face.

"Sure, we better let them have their fun now. It's only a matter of time till they remember it's mostly cloudy with an eighty percent chance of rain."


End file.
